diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index c53c345e..bfc62bad 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Configure and build
         run: |
           conan profile detect
-          conan build . -s:h compiler.cppstd=20 -s:h libqasm/*:build_type=${{ matrix.build_type }} -o libqasm/*:build_tests=True -o libqasm/*:compat=True -o libqasm/*:asan_enabled=True -b missing
+          build_type=${{ matrix.build_type }}
+          lowercase_build_type=$(echo ${build_type} | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')
+          conan build . -pr=conan/profiles/tests-${lowercase_build_type}-compat -b missing
+        shell: bash
       - name: Test
         working-directory: build/${{ matrix.build_type }}
         run: ctest -C ${{ matrix.build_type }} --output-on-failure
@@ -87,7 +90,7 @@ jobs:
           python3 -m venv venv
           source venv/bin/activate
           python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip conan
-          conan build . -s:h compiler.cppstd=20 -s:h libqasm/*:build_type=Release -o libqasm/*:build_tests=True -o libqasm/*:compat=True -o libqasm/*:asan_enabled=True -b missing
+          conan build . -pr=conan/profiles/tests-release-compat -b missing
       - name: Test
         working-directory: build/Release
         run: ctest -C Release --output-on-failure
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6cc1e8a1..57e6ebc4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -57,14 +57,45 @@ conan profile detect
 ```
 
 The installation of `libqasm` dependencies, as well as the compilation, can be done in one go.<br/>
-Notice the command below is building `libqasm` in Debug mode with tests.
 
 ```
 git clone https://github.com/QuTech-Delft/libqasm.git
 cd libqasm
-conan build . -s:h compiler.cppstd=20 -s:h libqasm/*:build_type=Debug -o libqasm/*:build_tests=True -b missing
+conan build . -pr=conan/profiles/tests-debug -b missing
 ```
 
+The command above is building `libqasm` in Debug mode with tests using the `tests-debug` profile.
+
+The `-b missing` parameter asks `conan` to build packages from sources
+in case it cannot find the binary packages for the current configuration (platform, OS, compiler, build type...). 
+
+### Build profiles
+
+
+A group of predefined profiles is provided under the `conan/profiles` folder.
+They follow the `[tests-](debug|release)[-compat]` naming convention. For example:
+  - `release` is a Release build without tests and compatibility with the original API.
+  - `tests-debug-compat` is a Debug build with tests and compatibility enabled.
+
+All the profiles set the C++ standard to 20. All the `tests` profiles enable Address Sanitizer.
+
+### Build options
+
+Profiles are a shorthand for command line options. The command above could be written as well as: 
+
+```
+conan build . -s:h compiler.cppstd=20 -s:h libqasm/*:build_type=Debug -o libqasm/*:asan_enabled=True -o libqasm/*:build_tests=True -o libqasm/*:compat=False -b missing
+```
+
+These are the list of options that could be specified whether in a profile or in the command line:
+
+- `libqasm/*:build_tests={True,False}`: builds tests or not.
+- `libqasm/*:build_type={Debug,Release}`: builds in debug or release mode.
+- `libqasm/*:asan_enabled={True,False}`: enables Address Sanitizer.
+- `libqasm/*:compat={True,False}`: enables installation of the headers for the original API,
+on top of the ones for the new API.
+- `libqasm/*:shared={True,False}`: builds a shared object library instead of a static library, if applicable.
+
 ## Install
 
 ### From Python
@@ -72,7 +103,7 @@ conan build . -s:h compiler.cppstd=20 -s:h libqasm/*:build_type=Debug -o libqasm
 Install from the project root directory as follows:
 
 ```
-python -m pip install --verbose .
+python3 -m pip install --verbose .
 ```
 
 or if you'd rather use conda:
@@ -85,7 +116,7 @@ conda install libqasm --use-local
 You can test if it works by running:
 
 ```
-python -m pytest
+python3 -m pytest
 ```
 
 ### From C++
diff --git a/conan/profiles/debug b/conan/profiles/debug
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..405995d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conan/profiles/debug
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+include(default)
+
+[settings]
+compiler.cppstd=20
+libqasm/*:build_type=Debug
+
+[options]
+libqasm/*:asan_enabled=False
+libqasm/*:build_tests=False
+libqasm/*:compat=False
diff --git a/conan/profiles/debug-compat b/conan/profiles/debug-compat
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e070c6d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conan/profiles/debug-compat
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+include(default)
+
+[settings]
+compiler.cppstd=20
+libqasm/*:build_type=Debug
+
+[options]
+libqasm/*:asan_enabled=False
+libqasm/*:build_tests=False
+libqasm/*:compat=True
diff --git a/conan/profiles/release b/conan/profiles/release
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7842c688
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conan/profiles/release
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+include(default)
+
+[settings]
+compiler.cppstd=20
+libqasm/*:build_type=Release
+
+[options]
+libqasm/*:asan_enabled=False
+libqasm/*:build_tests=False
+libqasm/*:compat=False
diff --git a/conan/profiles/release-compat b/conan/profiles/release-compat
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..696093b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conan/profiles/release-compat
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+include(default)
+
+[settings]
+compiler.cppstd=20
+libqasm/*:build_type=Release
+
+[options]
+libqasm/*:asan_enabled=False
+libqasm/*:build_tests=False
+libqasm/*:compat=True
diff --git a/conan/profiles/tests-debug b/conan/profiles/tests-debug
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6021f64d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conan/profiles/tests-debug
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+include(default)
+
+[settings]
+compiler.cppstd=20
+libqasm/*:build_type=Debug
+
+[options]
+libqasm/*:asan_enabled=True
+libqasm/*:build_tests=True
+libqasm/*:compat=False
diff --git a/conan/profiles/tests-debug-compat b/conan/profiles/tests-debug-compat
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4a7202d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conan/profiles/tests-debug-compat
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+include(default)
+
+[settings]
+compiler.cppstd=20
+libqasm/*:build_type=Debug
+
+[options]
+libqasm/*:asan_enabled=True
+libqasm/*:build_tests=True
+libqasm/*:compat=True
diff --git a/conan/profiles/tests-release b/conan/profiles/tests-release
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e0ab99ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conan/profiles/tests-release
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+include(default)
+
+[settings]
+compiler.cppstd=20
+libqasm/*:build_type=Release
+
+[options]
+libqasm/*:asan_enabled=True
+libqasm/*:build_tests=True
+libqasm/*:compat=False
diff --git a/conan/profiles/tests-release-compat b/conan/profiles/tests-release-compat
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f67282ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conan/profiles/tests-release-compat
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+include(default)
+
+[settings]
+compiler.cppstd=20
+libqasm/*:build_type=Release
+
+[options]
+libqasm/*:asan_enabled=True
+libqasm/*:build_tests=True
+libqasm/*:compat=True